10 Questions With Sophia

Who loves guinea pigs, would teleport without thinking twice if given the opportunity, and uses an app to document and watch her year in review every January? Sophia, our newest Cutliner in NYC!

A New York City native and recent Binghamton University grad (she studied English Rhetoric!), Sophia told us about why she chose a career in PR, the quote that inspires her daily, and the best gift she’s ever given. Read on for all the deets!

What advice would you give to your college self about planning for your career?

Relax - not everything has to be so planned out! I was so stressed about picking my major. I loved my school and didn’t want to transfer from my new home, but I knew I wanted to major in something that my school didn’t offer: Public Relations.

I was so conflicted on whether to stay somewhere I love or transfer somewhere that offered a PR major. Spoiler alert: I have my dream job now, and I didn’t transfer schools! I was able to major in English Rhetoric which helped me learn some of the technical skills I would need for a PR career. I supplemented that with real-world experience through internships and relevant extracurriculars. I wouldn’t change my college experience for the world and I wish I could go back and tell myself to chill out!

What do you love about PR?

The ever-changing nature of the work! It keeps things exciting and fresh. 

What’s your go-to productivity trick?

The Pomodoro Technique. For those who are unfamiliar, the Pomodoro Technique was created by an Italian college student who used a tomato (pomodoro) shaped timer to block out work sessions. This method really helps me focus on one thing at a time, which is helpful when I start to feel overwhelmed with everything on my plate.

What do you love to do when you're not working?

I love going out to eat and trying new restaurants. I’ve recently gotten into Zumba and other dance workouts. They’re so fun! I’m also a big walker and feel lucky to live close to Central Park where I can roam around for hours and not get bored. And you can always find me cuddling with my two guinea pigs, who are my pride and joy!

What's your favorite quote? What impact has it had on you?

“Today is never too late to be brand new.” I love this quote. It brings me so much comfort knowing that you always have the power to be better than you were yesterday, last week, last month, last year. You can always change.

What was the last thing you did to learn something new?

I recently visited Newport, Rhode Island, and took a tour of the historic mansions. They were fascinating! I learned a lot about the history of the houses and got to admire the beautiful decor, which I’m a huge sucker for. I also learned a lot about Newport’s supernatural history on a nighttime ghost tour!

If you won a million dollars, what would you do with the money?

Travel! I feel like this is a super cliché answer, but it’s true. There’s so much of this world that I haven’t seen, and I’d love to be able to take a few super amazing trips. I really want to visit Japan, India, and Italy, just to name a few. I’d also love to go back to Greece. I took one vacation there and fell in love. I’d save a lot of the travel money for food expenses because I love trying foods from other cultures!

What’s the last gift that you gave that you were really proud of, and to whom?

I love, love, love gift giving. I’d consider it a hobby of mine. One gift that I was really proud of was NBA tickets for my boyfriend. He absolutely loves basketball but had never gone to an NBA game because he grew up in India. So, for his birthday, I got him tickets to his first game!

What do you think is the most exciting technological invention to ever happen?

My absolute favorite is an iPhone app called 1SE. You upload a one-second video every day, and at the end of the year, it mashes all the clips together and gives you a six-minute video of your year. This is my fourth full year doing it, and it brings me so much joy watching my video every January 1st. I plan to continue doing it for as long as I can so I can have a year in review of my life every year!

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

Teleportation! It would save so much time and money, both on vacations and in day-to-day life. If I could teleport to work instead of being packed in a crowded subway, I definitely wouldn’t complain!